The present invention relates to a beam orienting adjustable support for lighting devices, capable, for example, of equipping motor vehicles.
When it is desired to orient a lighting device in several non-coplanar directions, for example in elevation and in azimuth, it is possible to mount the lighting system in such a way that it is movable in rotation about two orthogonal axes, and to use two actuators in order to put the lighting system into motion about each of these two axes, so as to be able to direct the light beam generated by the lighting device in all directions, both horizontally and vertically as well as obliquely.
Cases do exist, however, in which it is desired that a light beam should be made able to move in two directions, and only in these two directions. Put another way, it is desirable for the light beam emitted by the lighting device to be able to be displaced along two lines, one of these lines being horizontal and the other vertical, for example, any other direction of the light beam not being desired.
It is then known to mount the lighting device on a frame in such a way that it is movable about an axis under the effect of an actuator, then to make the frame movable about a second axis, for example perpendicular to the first one, under the effect of a second actuator. Another known solution consists in assigning a lighting device, movable about a single axis, to each direction in which a movable lighting beam is required. It is therefore necessary to have as many lighting devices as lighting directions. These solutions prove to be expensive due to the multiplication of the headlamps and/or of the actuators which stems from it, and offer bulky, complex and unreliable systems.
The present invention lies in this context, and its object is to provide a lighting device with variable orientation along two axes, using only a single actuator to put the lighting device into motion along these two axes, the movements thus achieved having the desired accuracy, the device which causes the movement being reliable in operation, easy to assemble, compact and inexpensive.
Thus the subject of the present invention is a lighting device, including an optical system capable of generating a light beam and consisting of a light source and of a reflector, the optical system being mounted on a chassis by way of a fixed point including a ball-joint articulation.
According to the present invention, the optical system is held on the chassis by a second elastic link and by a third link capable of being put into motion by an actuator, preferably a single actuator.
According to other advantageous and non-limiting characteristics of the invention:
the optical system further includes an arm capable of coming into abutment on the chassis under the effect of the actuator;
the chassis includes a housing for accommodating the arm of the optical system, the housing allowing rotational movements of the arm on itself;
the chassis includes at least one wing for guiding the arm of the optical system towards the housing;
the second elastic link includes an elastic means springing, rearwards, a rod integral with the optical system;
the rod integral with the optical system constitutes a first axis of rotation for the optical system, with the fixed point including a ball-joint articulation.
According to a first embodiment:
the rod is integral with the optical system by way of a ball-joint link;
the rod integral with the optical system includes a first end stop sprung rearwards by the elastic means;
the rod integral with the optical system includes a second end stop limiting the rearwards travel of the rod;
the third link includes a rod mounted in ball-joint fashion on the optical system, and capable of being put into translational motion by the actuator held on the chassis.
According to a second embodiment:
the rod integral with the optical system is capable of sliding in an oblong aperture of the chassis;
the rod integral with the optical system is sprung rearwards from the oblong aperture by an elastic means;
the rod integral with the optical system is integral with a pinion or with a toothed sector capable of being put into rotational movement;
the pinion or the toothed sector is capable of being put into rotational movement by a rack gear put into motion by a linear actuator.
the pinion or the toothed sector is capable of being put into rotational movement by a second pinion integral with the output shaft of a rotary actuator;
the toothed sector includes a circular part and a straight-line part;
the output shaft of the rotary actuator is accommodated, so as to rotate, in a bore of the chassis.
In both these embodiments, the chassis can be oriented in elevation and in azimuth.
A further subject of the invention is the above-described device, in which the optical system comprises a single reflector and, preferably, a single light source. Advantageously, the optical system fulfils at least three functions, especially a turning-assistance function, a fog lamp function and a main-beam function.
Other objects, characteristics and advantages of the present invention will emerge clearly from the description which will now be given of an embodiment example given in a non-limiting way by reference to the attached drawings.